AMA

Hagerstown: Event preview

Carr in familiar position coming into Hagerstown National. PICKERINGTON, Ohio& ...

Edited: May 30, 2002, 3:50 AM

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Carr in familiar position coming into Hagerstown National.

PICKERINGTON, Ohio– Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, Md., will host round five of the AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championship this Saturday, June 1. This weekend's race is the first of two AMA Flat Track Nationals the speedway will host this year. The championship will return to the half-mile circuit on Aug. 10. Chris Carr, the defending series champ and last year's Hagerstown winner from Fleetwood, Pa., comes into Saturday's race holding the series lead for the first time this season. His victory last Sunday in Springfield, Ill., gave Carr a six-point lead over fellow Pennsylvanian Kevin Varnes. Connecticut's Ken Coolbeth, Jr. is only nine points behind Carr in third. It was just a year ago that Carr finally broke through to earn his very first victory at Hagerstown after years of trying. Carr is working on becoming only the third rider in AMA Grand National history to win four titles. Carr is backed this year with sponsorship from Ford Quality Checked Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, which is also presenting sponsor of the Hagerstown race.

"I've always been right there near the front at Hagerstown over the years," said Carr. "But hopefully the win last year turned it around for me. It's a close race for the title and I'd like to get a streak going here like I did after last year's race."

Varnes, like Carr, is a former winner at Hagerstown. He knows that Carr is going to be tough to beat this year. A victory at Hagerstown could give him the confidence he needs going into the rest of the summer. Michigan riders Kevin Atherton and Jay Springsteen join Carr and Varnes as former Hagerstown winners expected to race this weekend. Springsteen is a 27-year veteran of the series, and at 45, still finds the speed to run with the younger riders. "Springer", who won at Hagerstown in 1999, is ranked eighth in the standings coming into round five. Atherton seems to be on top of his game again after a long and arduous comeback after suffering a serious leg injury in 1999 that nearly ended his career. The 1996 Hagerstown winner comes into Saturday's race seventh in the standings.

Local fans will be watching Maryland's own Paul Lynch, of Bel Air. Lynch comes into Hagerstown 20th in the series standings after earning a top-10 finish earlier in the season in Claremore, Oklahoma.

The Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance Series is also on the slate Saturday at Hagerstown. The series is a barnburner so far with Jacob Johnson and Bryan Smith tied atop the series standing coming into this week's race each with a victory. Smith, of Flint, Mich., is last year's AMA Flat Track Rookie of the Year and defending Harley-Davidson Sportster champion.

For additional information on the race call Hagerstown Speedway at (301) 582-0640 or visit www.hagerstownspeedway.com.

<pre> SCHEDULE OF EVENTS HAGERSTOWN SPEEDWAY, HAGERSTOWN, MD JUNE 1, 2002 THERE WILL BE NO RAINDATE AT THIS EVENT

TRACK DIRECTIONS: 5 miles west of I-81 on US 40 (north side of road) Track Phone: (301) 582-0643 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Registration at the track 2:30 p.m. - 4:40 p.m. - Tech Inspection at the track 4:45 p.m. - Mandatory Riders Meeting 5:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. - Practice 6:00 p.m. - Qualifying Heats 7:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. - Opening Ceremonies 8:00 p.m. - 8:10 p.m. - 1st Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance heat 8:10 p.m. - 8:20 p.m. - 2nd Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance heat 8:20 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. - 3rd Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance heat 8:30 p.m. - 8:40 p.m. - 1st Progressive Insurance Grand National heat 8:40 p.m. - 8:50 p.m. - 2nd Progressive Insurance Grand National heat 8:50 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. - 3rd Progressive Insurance Grand National heat 9:00 p.m. - 9:10 p.m. - 4th Progressive Insurance Grand National heat 9:10 p.m. - 9:25 p.m. - HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPORTSTER PERFORMANCE FINAL 9:25 p.m. - 9:35 p.m. - Victory Circle for Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance Final 9:35 p.m. - 9:45 p.m. - 1st Progressive Insurance Grand National Semi 9:45 p.m. - 9:55 p.m. - 2nd Progressive Insurance Grand National Semi 9:55 p.m. - 10:05 p.m. - 3rd Progressive Insurance Grand National Semi 10:20 p.m. -10:35 p.m. - AMA PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE GRAND NATIONAL FINAL 10:35 p.m. - Victory Circle for Grand National

-ama-

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